My uncle gave Lord Rumford an enthusiastic greeting, but once again, I was given the oddest look. Floyd merely smirked and winked at me when no one was looking.
Uncle Ronald gave my aunt’s excuses for not joining us, then the men fell into conversation about my uncle’s plans for the hotel’s expansion. I listened until Flossy caught my gaze. She mouthed something at me, but I couldn’t work out what. Caught on the opposite side of the table to one another, we would have to endure the men’s conversation all night.
The sommelier arrived and poured the wine while Richard explained the evening’s menu, for Lord Rumford’s sake. Once they departed, my uncle resumed telling his lordship about the new restaurant he wanted to build.
After a dutiful period of time, his lordship changed the subject. “We must be boring the ladies.”
My uncle blinked at his daughter then me as if he’d just noticed us. He looked disappointed.
“Not at all,” I said. “I enjoy hearing about the hotel’s plans for the future. I can see how a public restaurant, positioned facing the street, will attract a new clientele and not just hotel guests. This room can then be turned into a permanent ballroom.”
“All the best hotels have a restaurant for non-guests,” Flossy pointed out.
“But ours will be different,” Floyd told her.
“How?” Lord Rumford asked.
Floyd glanced at his father.
Uncle Ronald picked up his wine glass and saluted us with it. “Because it will be better.”
I watched Lord Rumford over the course of dinner. He was polite and listened attentively, even when my uncle talked incessantly about the hotel. He always gave an opinion when obliged to do so and drew Flossy and me into the conversation when possible. Indeed, because my uncle tended to ignore his children and me, and address only his guest, it was rather noticeable when Lord Rumford spoke to us.
Despite his politeness, he seemed lackluster. It was as if he were keeping up his side of the conversation merely because it was expected. Not knowing him from before Pearl died, I wasn’t sure if he was always like this in polite company or if it was something new and a result of her death. It must be hard to pretend to be cheerful when he’d just lost someone he cared about.
He made his excuses immediately after the dessert course. He bowed to Flossy and me then went on his way. Uncle Ronald also departed, but only from the table. He drifted around the dining room, greeting guests and stopping to talk to those who dined alone.
Floyd finished his dessert wine and rose too. I thought he’d follow in his father’s wake and greet guests, but he bade us goodnight then hurried out of the dining room. He eyed Uncle Ronald all the way, but with his back to us and the door, Uncle Ronald didn’t notice.
Flossy moved to sit next to me. She hailedone of the waiters and ordered tea. “Now, Cleo,” she began as he walked off. “We need to talk. Just because the position of his mistress is available, doesn’t mean you should fill it.”
I stared at her. Then I burst out laughing.
She pouted. “What’s so amusing?”
“You thinking I’m interested in Lord Rumford in that way.”
“I’m not the only one thinking it. I saw the look on Father’s face, and Floyd’s. They think it too.”
“That’s absurd. Why would you assume I’d want to be his mistress?”
“You came in on his arm which means you clearly know one another already. You have also declared that you’re not interested in marrying anyone, so the family thinks you want to be a kept woman, like Pearl Westwood. Not Mother, of course. She still has hopes that you’ll marry. I assumed Father thought that way too, but now I’m not sure.”
I followed her gaze to where her father sat at a table with a gentleman. “Do you all talk about me?”
The waiter arrived with a pot of tea and two cups. Flossy poured the tea and milk and added a lump of sugar to a cup before handing it to me. “Shall we go shopping tomorrow, Cleo?”
Goliath, Peter and Frank were calling on the other luxury hotels tomorrow to find out if Lady Rumford was staying at one of them. Until I could think of a way to discover Lord and Lady Wrexham’s movements on the day of Pearl’s death, I had nothing to do, and I would just be twiddling my thumbs waiting for their return. I might as well go out. But I didn’t want to go shopping.
“I thought I’d visit the British Museum tomorrow,” I said.
“But you dragged me there last week. Why do you want to go again?”
“Because I haven’t seen everything yet. You don’t have to come.”
She eyed me over the rim of her cup. “You’ll go alone? I’m not sure Mother would approve.”
“Flossy, I’m twenty-three and not an heiress. While I’m appreciative of everything your parents have done for me, I am free to do as I please. Besides, it’s just the museum.”
